Investigation’s scope includes the Taliban and foreign troops
Trump opposed to ‘unlawful jurisdiction’ over US forces
China voices doubts over the investigation
GENEVA, Oct 6 (Reuters) – The United Nations Human Rights Council is to investigate abuses in Afghanistan, which could eventually enable criminal investigations into suspected violations by both the Taliban and foreign troops, including those from the United States.
The United States, which had troops in Afghanistan until 2021 within a NATO coalition, has previously opposed scrutiny of its actions, for example, by the International Criminal Court, but backed research into suspected Taliban violations.
President Donald Trump has disengaged from the Geneva rights council and did not take a stance in the negotiations on the EU proposal for the investigation, diplomats said.
However, a State Department spokesperson said late on Sunday, before it was adopted on Monday without a vote: “Under the leadership of President Trump, the United States government will not tolerate international organizations that attempt to exert unlawful jurisdiction over American troops.”
NO TIME LIMIT ON PROBE
The European Union motion calls for investigators to prepare evidence for future court proceedings and is among the strongest form of U.N. rights probe, on a par with existing investigations into suspected crimes in Syria and Myanmar.
For years, both Afghan and international rights groups have sought such a probe. Calls have become louder as the Taliban tightened restrictions on women and freedom of expression.
The Taliban authorities say they respect rights in line with their interpretation of Islamic law.
While the EU proposal for an investigation did not specifically mention abuses by international troops, it is described as “comprehensive” and has no time limit, meaning it could address these, diplomats said. The exact scope will be determined when investigators are appointed.
Investigations launched by the 47-member council can lead to war crimes prosecutions. Some countries which sent troops to Afghanistan, such as Britain and Australia, have initiated inquiries but prosecutions have been rare.
Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, called the launch a “significant step that could break a decades-long cycle of impunity”.
The new investigation would cooperate with an existing ICC probe. The ICC has previously indicated it would deprioritise suspected crimes by U.S. forces after Trump imposed sanctions in 2020 over its Afghanistan work.
China’s delegate Wang Nian criticised the proposal’s cost of $9.2 million over three years amid a U.N. funding crisis and said it was unbalanced.
The World Bank says Afghanistan’s economy shows modest growth, but rising poverty, weak governance, and declining aid continue to threaten long-term stability and recovery.
The World Bank has reported that Afghanistan’s economy shows modest signs of recovery, but deep poverty, displacement, and a fragile humanitarian situation continue to threaten the country’s stability. The findings are part of its latest Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan Economic Update, titled “Jobs and Women: Untapped Talent, Unrealized Growth.”
According to the report, Afghanistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to grow by about 4.3% in fiscal years 2025–2026, driven largely by household and public consumption. Yet, with the population expected to rise by 8.6%, per capita income is forecast to decline by nearly 4%, keeping millions of Afghans in extreme poverty.
The World Bank estimates that between 15.2 and 23.8 million Afghans — almost half the population — live on less than $3 a day, one of the highest poverty rates in the region. The Bank attributes this to overlapping crises, including forced returns of refugees, natural disasters, and weak governance. Since September 2023, more than 4 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan and Iran, with 2.1 million repatriated between January and July 2025, most involuntarily.
The report notes that the August 2025 earthquake in eastern Afghanistan, which killed more than 2,000 people, deepened economic distress. Damages were estimated at $183 million, roughly 1% of GDP, destroying homes, livestock, and vital rural infrastructure. The disaster underscored the country’s limited ability to respond to crises amid declining international aid.
On gender and employment, the World Bank says Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most restrictive environments for women. Social barriers, conflict, and policy restrictions have forced most women into low-paid, informal work. Although women’s participation in the labor force slightly increased between 2020 and 2023, nearly 60% remain inactive, and most new opportunities are in precarious home-based sectors.
Regionally, the World Bank forecasts modest economic growth of 2.8% in 2025 and 3.3% in 2026 for the broader Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan region. However, Afghanistan’s recovery remains uncertain due to sanctions, weak governance, and the absence of international recognition. The sharp reduction in aid, the Bank warns, has already led to the closure of hundreds of health centers, depriving millions of essential services.
Roberta Gatti, the World Bank’s Chief Economist for the region, said increasing women’s participation in the workforce could raise per capita GDP by 20–30% in countries like Egypt, Jordan, and Pakistan. Osman Dione, the Bank’s Vice President for the region, called for “bold and comprehensive reforms” to remove structural barriers and empower women economically.
The report concludes that Afghanistan’s outlook remains fragile despite limited growth. “Humanitarian needs are rising rapidly while domestic capacity to respond is severely constrained,” it said. “Without structural reforms and inclusive policies, millions of Afghans — especially women and returning refugees — will remain trapped in poverty.”
World Bank Says Afghanistan’s Modest Economic Growth Overshadowed by Rising Poverty and Fragility
After 20 years, the threat of terrorism did not end; instead, the emergence of the ISIS-Khorasan group after 2010 created a new wave of violence in the country.
On October 7, 2001, the United States and its NATO allies entered Afghanistan with three main goals: fighting terrorism, combating narcotics, and nation-building. However, after two decades, these slogans faded amid ruins, widespread corruption, and the blood of countless civilians.
The first motive for the U.S. presence in Afghanistan was counterterrorism. Yet, during this campaign, NATO and U.S. forces carried out night bombings that killed thousands of civilians, including women and children, stories of these tragedies continue to this day.
After twenty years, the threat of terrorism did not end; instead, the emergence of the ISIS-Khorasan group after 2010 created a new wave of violence in the country.
Mohammad Amin Karim, a peace studies researcher, said: “The only real achievement of the U.S. presence was the education of a young, skilled generation. However, after the U.S. withdrawal, around 200,000 to 300,000 of these educated youths left the country, people who could have served Afghanistan today.”
The second official U.S. objective was to combat narcotics. This mission also failed. Despite spending millions of dollars, the production and trafficking of drugs not only continued but, in some years,
increased, turning Afghanistan into one of the world’s largest producers of opium.
Kamran Aman, a military affairs expert, noted: “Their main achievement was containing the influence of China, Russia, and Iran in the region, but all the economic, moral, and human losses fell upon the Afghan people.”
Nation-building and establishing a stable government was the third U.S. goal, but it became the most unsuccessful part of its mission. Widespread corruption, heavy dependency on foreign aid, and deep political divisions led to the collapse of the 20-year republic. As a result, America’s slogan of nation-building ended in complete failure.
Mohammad Omar Nahzat, a political analyst, said: “They only tried to impose populist ideas to deceive people, while their real agenda was geopolitical, aimed at limiting China’s and Russia’s regional influence.”
In total, during two decades of U.S. presence in Afghanistan, more than 150,000 people lost their lives, including foreign troops, Afghan soldiers, and civilians. Among them were over 3,500 foreign troops, 66,000 Afghan security forces, and more than 51,000 Afghan civilians and fighters.
It is worth noting that during these twenty years, the U.S. spent more than 2.2 trillion dollars in Afghanistan.
Consequences of the United States’ 20-Year Presence in Afghanistan
Representatives from Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan attended the meeting.
The 7th consultative meeting of the Moscow Format on Afghanistan, focusing on national reconciliation and regional cooperation in political and economic fields, was hosted by Russia today (Tuesday).
Representatives from Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan attended the meeting.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in his opening remarks, emphasized the importance of stability and security in the region and warned against the presence of non-regional military forces on Afghan soil, calling it a threat to regional peace and development.
He stated: “We emphasize that over the past four years, the Islamic Emirate’s government has become stronger and is now governing the country with greater confidence and stability. We must acknowledge that despite difficult conditions, Kabul’s leadership has managed to perform effectively to a great extent.”
Islamic Emirate’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi expressed appreciation for Russia’s move to recognize the Islamic Emirate, stressing that Afghanistan has now transformed from a security challenge into a partner for regional stability and an opportunity for economic growth.
Without naming any specific country, Muttaqi said some parties, instead of recognizing the peace and stability achieved in Afghanistan, are trying to portray the country as a regional threat.
“Our view is that this positive transformation should be better supported and managed so that past mistakes are not repeated. Our region must not once again fall victim to insecurity caused by miscalculations and flawed policies of the past,” he added.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Russia met to discuss strengthening political ties, expanding economic cooperation, and addressing regional issues.
Muttaqi said: “After Russia’s recognition of Afghanistan, unprecedented opportunities for developing political, economic, and other relations have emerged, and we can now move forward with genuine cooperation in various areas.”
Lavrov stated: “We can see how your government is working to stabilize the situation in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.”
A quadrilateral meeting between Russia, Iran, China, and Pakistan was also held on the sidelines, where the participants emphasized support for Afghanistan and joint cooperation in combating terrorism.
In a joint statement, the Moscow Format member states reaffirmed their support for Afghanistan as an independent, united, and peaceful state.
The parties also called for strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism at both bilateral and multilateral levels, stressing that Afghanistan should be supported in taking comprehensive measures to eliminate terrorism within a short period.
Moscow Format Discusses Afghanistan’s Political and Economic Future
Afghanistan’s regional neighbours, including India, have voiced a rare unified front by opposing foreign attempts to deploy “military infrastructure” in the country, as United States President Donald Trump presses to regain control of the Bagram airbase.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, members of the Moscow Format of Consultations on Afghanistan – which includes rivals India and Pakistan – “reaffirmed their unwavering support for the establishment of Afghanistan as an independent, united and peaceful state”. The forum also includes Russia, China, Iran and Central Asian nations, all of whom strongly oppose any US return presence in Afghanistan.
The members “called unacceptable the attempts by countries to deploy their military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighbouring states, since this does not serve the interests of regional peace and stability”.
Though the statement echoes last year’s forum language, it suggests broad regional opposition to Trump’s push to return to Bagram, which he handed over to Afghanistan’s Taliban five years ago as part of a deal paving the way for the US withdrawal from Kabul.
In the latest diplomatic outreach, India is set to welcome the Taliban’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi for a historic first visit to New Delhi this week, lasting from October 9-16.
After attending the Moscow forum, Muttaqi emphasised that Afghanistan will not accept any foreign military presence. “Afghanistan is a free and independent country, and throughout history, it has never accepted the military presence of foreigners,” he said. “Our decision and policy will remain the same to keep Afghanistan free and independent.”
Last month, Trump threatened “bad things” would happen to Afghanistan if it did not give back Bagram, and cited what he called its strategic location near China. The Taliban has rejected Trump’s calls to return the base.
Bagram is about 800km (about 500 miles) from the Chinese border, and about 2,400km (about 1,500 miles) from the nearest Chinese missile factory in Xinjiang.
Trump has referred to China as a key reason for wanting to retake control of Bagram, saying last month in London that the base is “an hour away from where [China] makes its nuclear weapons”.
Current and former US officials have cast doubt on Trump’s goal, saying that reoccupying Bagram might end up looking like a reinvasion, requiring more than 10,000 troops as well as the deployment of advanced air defences.
“The sheer logistics of negotiating redeployment and handing back would be extremely challenging and lengthy, and it’s not clear that this would serve either side’s strategic interests,” said Ashley Jackson, co-director at the Geneva-headquartered Centre on Armed Groups.
Bagram, a sprawling complex, was the main base for US forces in Afghanistan during the two decades of war that followed the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York and Washington by al-Qaeda.
Thousands of people were imprisoned at the site for years without charge or trial by US forces during its so-called “war on terror”, and many of them were abused or tortured.
The Taliban retook the facility in 2021 following the US withdrawal, which Trump first set in motion in his first term as president, and the collapse of the Afghan government with Joe Biden in the White House.
Regional powers signal objection to US reclaiming Afghanistan’s Bagram base
Restrictions have been placed on content on some social media platforms in Afghanistan, Taliban government sources told BBC Afghan.
Filters have been applied to restrict certain types of content on sites including Facebook, Instagram and X, the sources at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology said.
It is not clear exactly what sort of posts are subject to filtering. Some social media users in Kabul told the BBC that videos on their Facebook accounts are no longer viewable, while access to Instagram has also been restricted.
These restrictions on social media content come a week after internet and telecommunications services were cut off across the country for two days.
The 48-hour blackout disrupted businesses and flights, limited access to emergency services and raised fears about further isolating women and girls whose rights have been severely eroded since the hardline Islamist group swept back to power in 2021.
Social media users in Afghanistan have been complaining about limited access to different platforms in various provinces since Tuesday.
A Taliban government source said: “Some sort of controls have been applied to restrict certain types of content on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X.
“We hope this time there wouldn’t be any full ban on internet.
“The filtering is almost applied for the whole county and most provinces are covered now.”
There is no formal explanation from Taliban government officials for the restrictions.
Cybersecurity organisation NetBlocks said “restrictions are now confirmed on multiple providers, the pattern shows an intentional restriction”. Social sites have been intermittently accessible on smartphones, according to news agency AFP.
A man who works in a government office in eastern Nangarhar province told the BBC he could open Facebook but could not see pictures or play videos.
He said the “internet is very slow as a whole”.
Another user in southern Kandahar province, who runs a private business, said his fibre optic internet had been cut off since Tuesday but mobile phone data was working, with Facebook and Instagram being “severely slow”.
The Taliban government has not given an explanation for the total shutdown last week. However, last month, a spokesperson for the Taliban governor in the northern province of Balkh said internet access was being blocked “for the prevention of vices”.
Since returning to power, the Taliban have imposed numerous restrictions in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia hosted a delegation of Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban government Tuesday and issued a strong warning against a foreign military presence in the country.
Speaking at the start of an international meeting on Afghanistan in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov praised the Taliban government for efforts to combat the Islamic State and other extremist groups, as well as eradicate illegal drugs.
Lavrov emphasized that “the deployment of military infrastructure of any third countries on the territory of Afghanistan, as well as on the territories of neighboring states, is categorically unacceptable under any pretext.”
“The military presence of any extra-regional players could only lead to destabilization and new conflicts,” Lavrov said. “The history of Afghanistan has seen a lot of situations with foreign military presence. I believe everyone should have drawn the right conclusions long time ago.”
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 after the pullback of U.S. and NATO forces, they have sought international recognition while also enforcing their strict interpretation of Islamic law.
In July, Russia became the first country to recognize the Taliban’s government after removing the group from its list of outlawed organizations.
At Tuesday’s talks, Lavrov said Russia was looking forward to expanding business ties with Afghanistan and boosting anti-terrorism and anti-narcotics cooperation. He assailed the West for conducting “hostile” policies toward Kabul, maintaining a freeze on its assets and other sanctions.
Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi praised “the bold move of the Russian Federation to officially recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.”
“I appreciate it and wish that all countries follow the same path,” he said.
Muttaqi said the Moscow talks offer “a good opportunity for the countries of the region to listen to each other’s views,” noting his government has created an opportunity “to ensure comprehensive security after four decades and provide a good ground for investment, economy, transit and connectivity.”
Officials from China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan also took part in Tuesday’s talks.
While Russia was the first country to recognize the Taliban administration, the group had engaged in high-level talks with many nations and established some diplomatic ties with countries including China and the United Arab Emirates.
Still, the Taliban government has been relatively isolated on the world stage, largely over its restrictions on women.
Although the Taliban initially promised a more moderate rule than during their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, it enforced restrictions on women and girls soon after the 2021 takeover. Women are barred from most jobs and public places, including parks, baths and gyms, while girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade.
Russia hosts Taliban delegation and warns against foreign military presence in Afghanistan
The Taliban commander, armed with a machine gun, hopped out of a tan Ford ranger the US troops had left behind. Flanked by fighters, he knocked on the door of the female judge whohad put him behind bars.
It was 17 August 2021 – two days after the Taliban captured Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul following the withdrawal of US and allied troops. The Taliban’s subsequent mass release of prisoners unleashed criminals who were seeking revenge. Female judges – staunch advocates for women’s rights and justice – faced deadly reprisals.
A phone call from a neighbour alerted Pakiza Nawim’s husband that the commander she had sentenced for the rape of a 13-year-old boy three years earlier was at their front door. Luckily, the family had already fled, knowing the inevitable collapse of Afghanistan left Nawim exposed because of her work.
But four years later, Nawim and her colleagues fear the Taliban could seek retribution against their family members in Afghanistan and those at risk of deportation in neighbouring countries.
Their family members are among more than 160,000 Afghans in the queue for Australia’s offshore humanitarian visas. Nawim’s 13 relatives are in Iran illegally after fleeing the Taliban’s control of their home country 2023. They fear being deported to Afghanistan.
“I was the reason for this situation for my family. I feel guilty,” Nawim says, through her husband, who is translating.
Appointed a primary court judge in 2018, Nawim presided over criminal cases in Afghanistan’s Maidan Wardak province, about 35km from Kabul. She was the youngest judge in the province.
That year, she sentenced the commander who later came searching for her to 14 years behind bars for raping a child. He issued her a warning in the courtroom: “I will take revenge on you and your family.”
When a suicide bomber attacked the court district where Nawim worked in 2019, her government-appointed security guards fled. Her family members were the only people she could trust after this, she says, so she appointed her brothers as her security guards.
Nawim says her two brothers, who are in Iran, would be killed by the Taliban for helping a female judge if they returned to Afghanistan. Her 70-year-old mother, who has severe back pain, fears she would be deported by Iranian authorities if she sought medical treatment at a hospital.
“Sometimes during the night, I’m not able to go to sleep. I have anxiety and stress because my mother cannot have medical essentials,” Nawim says. “I’m thinking about my family a lot.”
“I was not alone in this journey … to bring justice on that province. My family was also fighting with me.”
In her final year working in the court, Nawim opted to wear the full burqa to conceal her identity when she travelled to court.Despite the threats, she remained steadfast in her convictions.
“I wanted to change the perspective of the people that the ladies are not able to do anything. I tried to make changes in the community,” she says. “I tried to put a legacy for the next generation that ladies are powerful and they are able to change the society.”
The 19 judges who resettled in Australia were granted temporary protection visas, which converted into permanent residency. But the pathway to Australia for thousands of other Afghans is complicated and lengthy.
In 2022, Australia allocated 26,500 dedicated visa places for Afghans to migrate to Australia under the offshore humanitarian visa program through to mid-2026. But demand soars beyond this.
Since the Taliban captured Kabul in August 2021, more than 251,000 Afghans have applied for visas in this program; about 20,000 have been granted. The latest statistics show that Afghan nationals accounted for 59% of all offshore humanitarian visa applicants in the 2023-24 financial year.
Iran and Pakistan have forced Afghans without valid visas to return to their home country or face deportation in recent years amid a hardening stance on refugees. The UN estimates that this year more than 2.1 million Afghans have returned or been forced to return to Afghanistan, including 352,000 from Pakistan and 1.5 million from Iran.
A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs said despite the ongoing closure of Australia’s embassy in Iran, it has continued to process humanitarian visas for applicants in the country.
“The department is aware the current situation in Iran may impact humanitarian visa holders waiting to depart,” the spokesperson said. “Resettlement of Afghans continues to be a key priority of Australia’s offshore humanitarian program.”
Nawim now lives in Melbourne with her husband, three sons and in-laws. Sitting in the family’s suburban house, her eyes well with tears as she remembers the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban.
“It was like waking from a dream that that was full of colour. When the Taliban came, we wake in a black and white world,” she says.
Nawim says she hopes to one day study law in Australia. But her mind remains focused on ensuring her family’s safe passage from the Middle East.
“I’m thinking a lot about my family members. If I feel that my family is safe, then definitely I can continue my education,” she says.
“I am still that Pakiza that can fight for education, fight for the justice.”
After finding refuge in Australia, a trailblazing judge fears the Taliban will take revenge on her family
This is the first time he is participating as an official member of the format, and he will discuss the expansion of Afghanistan’s relations with regional countries.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, has traveled to Russia to attend the “Moscow Format” meeting.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this is the first time he is participating as an official member of the format, and he will discuss the expansion of Afghanistan’s relations with regional countries.
Zia Ahmad Takal, head of public relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: “The country’s foreign minister is participating for the first time as an official member in the Moscow Format meeting. He is expected to present Afghanistan’s perspective and position among the member countries regarding the expansion of Afghanistan’s relations with the region.”
The “Moscow Format” meeting will be held tomorrow, October 7, and is considered one of the most significant regional and international gatherings, focusing on economic, security, and diplomatic cooperation among regional countries.
Ghaws Janbaz, a former Afghan diplomat in Russia, said: “If economic and trade issues are discussed more in this format and similar meetings, it can help improve and develop Afghanistan’s infrastructure.”
According to political analysts, the participation of the Islamic Emirate’s representative in this meeting can be seen as a sign of the regional countries’ willingness to establish constructive dialogue with the current Afghan government.
Abdul Naser Shafiq, a political analyst, said: “Regional and global countries jointly want to cooperate to address Afghanistan’s current crisis, especially at a time when the Islamic Emirate has not yet been officially recognized by the international community.”
Ahmad Khan Andar, another political analyst, also emphasized: “The participation of representatives of the Islamic Emirate in meetings concerning Afghanistan’s situation is an important political and diplomatic step.”
The Moscow Format is a diplomatic initiative by Russia that has been held since 2017. The seventh round of this meeting, hosted by Russia, will take place at the level of special representatives and senior officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and nine other countries.
The Russian Foreign Ministry had previously announced that on the sidelines of this meeting, Amir Khan Muttaqi would meet with Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, to discuss bilateral cooperation.
Muttaqi Leaves for Russia to Attend Moscow Format Meeting
GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.’s top human rights body agreed Monday to set up an ongoing probe of human rights violations in Afghanistan under the Taliban, including against women and girls, in a measure pushed for by the European Union.
With no opposition and only China opting out of the consensus, the Human Rights Council agreed to set up an “ongoing, independent investigative mechanism” to monitor rights in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power over four years ago.
The resolution aims to prepare case files that could be used by international justice, such as at the International Criminal Court, and build on work by the special investigator that the 47-member-country council has already created, among other things.
That investigator — special rapporteur Richard Bennett — last month said the Taliban have “weaponized” the legal and judicial system to oppress women and girls in what amounts to “crimes against humanity.”
Among the steps taken, the Taliban suspended laws that protected the rights of women and girls including one that had criminalized 22 forms of violence against women, including rape and forced marriage.
The Taliban dismissed all judges under the previous U.S.-backed government, including 270 women, replacing them with men who lack legal training and hand down decisions based on edicts issued by the Taliban, Bennett said.
Wang Nian, a Chinese envoy in Geneva focusing on human rights, said Afghanistan has recently “taken various measures for stability, economic growth and improvement of people’s livelihoods. The overall security situation has remained stable.”
“These positive developments merit recognition from the international community,” said Wang, adding that the proposed resolution, “failed to acknowledge the positive progress” and “lacks balance” as he explained China’s break with consensus.
UN rights body orders probe into human rights in Afghanistan, with a focus on women and girls
The United Nations says aid workers are still in a “race against time” to remove rubble and rebuild after the devastating earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan last month, killing at least 2,200 people and cutting off remote areas.
The 6.0-magnitude quake on Aug. 31 was shallow, destroying or causing extensive damage to low-rise buildings in the mountainous region. It hit late at night, and homes — mostly made of mud, wood, or rocks — collapsed instantly, becoming death traps.
Satellite data shows that about 40,500 truckloads of debris still needs to be cleared from affected areas in several provinces, the United Nations Development Program said Wednesday. Entire communities have been upended and families are sleeping in the open, it added.
The quake’s epicenter was in remote and rugged Kunar province, challenging rescue and relief efforts by the Taliban government and humanitarian groups. Authorities deployed helicopters or airdropped army commandos to evacuate survivors. Aid workers walked for hours on foot to reach isolated communities.
“This is a race against time,” said Devanand Ramiah, from the UNDP’s Crisis Bureau. “Debris removal and reconstruction operations must start safely and swiftly.”
People’s main demands were the reconstruction of houses and water supplies, according to a spokesman for a Taliban government committee tasked with helping survivors, Zia ur Rahman Speenghar.
People were getting assistance in cash, food, tents, beds, and other necessities, Speenghar said Thursday. Three new roads were under construction in the Dewagal Valley, and roads would be built to areas where there previously were none.
“Various countries and organizations have offered assistance in the construction of houses but that takes time. After the second round of assistance, work will begin on the third round, which is considering what kind of houses can be built here,” the spokesman said.
Afghanistan is facing a “perfect storm” of crises, including natural disasters like the recent earthquake, said Roza Otunbayeva, who leads the U.N. mission to the country.
Afghanistan Peace Campaign